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Annex V
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION
FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
As adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its
fourth session, amended by the Council at
subsequent sessions, and revised in consequence
of various General Assembly resolutions.
The Economic and Social Council,
Having considered General Assembly resolution
46(I) of 11 December 1946, in which the General
Assembly “recommends that, in order to give effective
aid to the countries devastated by war, the Economic
and Social Council, at its next session, give prompt and
favourable consideration to the establishment of ... an
Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East”,
Having noted the report of the Working Group
for Asia and the Far East of the Temporary SubCommission on Economic Reconstruction of Devastated
Areas,
Establishes an Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific with terms of reference as
follows:
1. The Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific, acting within the framework of the
policies of the United Nations and subject to the general
supervision of the Council, shall, provided that the
Commission takes no action in respect of any country
without the agreement of the Government of that
country:
(a) Initiate and participate in measures for
facilitating concerted action for the economic
reconstruction and development of Asia and the Pacific,
for raising the level of economic activity in Asia and
the Pacific and for maintaining and strengthening
the economic relations of these areas both among
themselves and with other countries of the world;
(b) Make or sponsor such investigations and
studies of economic and technological problems and
developments within territories of Asia and the Pacific
as the Commission deems appropriate;
(c) Undertake or sponsor the collection,
evaluation and dissemination of such economic,
technological and statistical information as the
Commission deems appropriate;
(d) Perform such advisory services, within the
available resources of its secretariat, as the countries of
the region may desire, provided that such services do
not overlap with those rendered by the specialized
agencies or the relevant United Nations bodies;
(e) Assist the Economic and Social Council, at
its request, in discharging its functions within the region
in connection with any economic problems, including
problems in the field of technical assistance;
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(f) In carrying out the above functions, deal, as
appropriate, with the social aspects of economic
development and the interrelationship of the economic
and social factors.
2. The territories of Asia and the Pacific referred
to in paragraph 1 shall include Afghanistan; American
Samoa; Armenia; Australia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh;
Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; Cook
Islands; Fiji; French Polynesia; Georgia; Guam; Hong
Kong, China; India; Indonesia; Iran (Islamic Republic
of); Japan; Kazakhstan; Kiribati; Korea; Kyrgyzstan;
Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Macao, China;
Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Micronesia
(Federated States of); Mongolia; Myanmar; Nauru;
Nepal; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Niue; Northern
Mariana Islands; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea;
Philippines; Russian Federation; Samoa; Singapore;
Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka; Tajikistan; Thailand;
Timor-Leste; Tonga; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Tuvalu;
Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; and Viet Nam.
3. The members of the Commission shall consist of
Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China,
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, France,
Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of),
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall
Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia,
Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic
of Korea, Russian Federation, Samoa, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand,
Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United
States of America, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Viet Nam,
provided that any State in the area which may hereafter
become a Member of the United Nations shall be
thereupon admitted as a member of the Commission.
4. The associate members shall include American
Samoa; Cook Islands; French Polynesia; Guam; Hong
Kong, China; Macao, China; New Caledonia; Niue; and
Northern Mariana Islands.
5. Any territory, part or group of territories
within the geographical scope of the Commission as
defined in paragraph 2 may, on presentation of its application to the Commission by the member responsible for
the international relations of such territory, part or
group of territories, be admitted by the Commission as
an associate member of the Commission. If it has
become responsible for its own international relations,
such territory, part or group of territories may be
admitted as an associate member of the Commission on
itself presenting its application to the Commission.
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6. Representatives of associate members shall be
entitled to participate without vote in all meetings of the
Commission, whether sitting as Commission or as
Committee of the Whole.
7. Representatives of associate members shall be
eligible to be appointed as members of any committee,
or other subordinate body, which may be set up by the
Commission and shall be eligible to vote and hold office
in such body.
8. The Commission is empowered to make
recommendations on any matters within its competence
directly to the Governments of members or associate
members concerned, Governments admitted in
consultative capacity, and the specialized agencies
concerned. The Commission shall submit for the
Council’s prior consideration any of its proposals of
activities that would have important effects on the
economy of the world as a whole.
9. The Commission shall invite any Member of
the United Nations not a member of the Commission to
participate in a consultative capacity in its consideration
of any matter of particular concern to that non-member.
10. The Commission shall invite representatives of
specialized agencies and may invite representatives of
any intergovernmental organization to participate in a
consultative capacity in its consideration of any matter
of particular concern to that agency or organization,
following the practice of the Economic and Social
Council.
11. The Commission shall make arrangements for
consultation with non-governmental organizations which
have been granted consultative status by the Economic
and Social Council, in accordance with the principles
approved by the Council for this purpose and contained
in Council resolution 1296 (XLIV).
12. The Commission shall take measures to ensure
that the necessary liaison is maintained with other
organs of the United Nations and with the specialized
agencies. The Commission shall establish appropriate
liaison and cooperation with other regional commissions
in accordance with the resolutions and directives of the
Economic and Social Council and the General
Assembly.
13. The Commission may, after discussion with
any specialized agency functioning in the same general
field, and with the approval of the Council, establish
such subsidiary bodies as it deems appropriate, for
facilitating the carrying out of its responsibilities.
14. The Commission shall adopt its own rules of
procedure, including the method of selecting its
Chairperson.
15. The Commission shall submit to the Council a
full report on its activities and plans, including those of
any subsidiary bodies, once a year.
16. The administrative budget of the Commission
shall be financed from the funds of the United Nations.
17. The Secretary-General of the United Nations
shall appoint the staff of the Commission, which shall
form part of the Secretariat of the United Nations.
18. The headquarters of the Commission shall be
located at Bangkok, Thailand.
19. The Council shall, from time to time, make
special reviews of the work of the Commission.
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